


A Little Light Magic

by restrained_ubiquity



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Episode Related, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Queens of Darkness, Swan Queen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-23
Updated: 2015-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-19 04:43:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3596799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/restrained_ubiquity/pseuds/restrained_ubiquity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina couldn’t describe how she felt as the warmth of Emma’s magic pulsed through her.  It was the most relaxed she’d ever been in her life.  The safest she’d ever felt.</p><p>Hints of abuse, but no actual detail.  The aftermath of Regina's night with the Queen's of Darkness and how Emma helps her cope.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Regina ends up with more than a hangover after her night with the Queens of Darkness. When Emma realizes what she’s gotten herself into, she blames her parents. I’m thinking cannon until Snow and Charming tell Emma that Regina is undercover and then I go off on my own little path. Oh my Swanqueen.

 

“When was she supposed to check in?” Emma yells at her parents slamming her fist into the kitchen table.  She’s beyond furious.  You have no idea the danger you’ve put Regina in.  Do you even care?”

“Emma!” Snow admonishes her daughter.  “Of course we care.  We’ve had a rocky past with Regina, but I’d like to think that’s all behind us.  She volunteered to do this.  She wanted to help.”

“She wanted to help _you_.”  Emma’s hand was on the door.  She couldn’t stand here listening to her hero parents justify their actions.  Not when Regina could be in serious trouble.

“Where are you going?” David asked as she was half way out the door.

“I’m going to go check her vault,” Emma spat back.

“We’ll take the truck and check the woods.” David grabbed his keys and guided Snow towards the door.  Emma was already downstairs and headed toward her Bug.

“What did we do?” Snow asked her husband.

“It’s Regina.  She can handle herself.” David said to assure his wife and himself.

* * *

 

The closer Emma got Regina’s vault, the worse the devastation was: overturned cars, burnt out trees, broken bottles.  _What the hell happened here,_ Emma thought to herself.  When she found the mausoleum door left open, she drew her gun and slowly made her way inside.  Regina’s pristine sanctuary had been ravaged.  Broken mirrors, ripped books, and spilt potions littered the walls and floor.  “Regina?” she called softly, not expecting an answer, but she knew this place was bigger than it looked and secretly hoped Regina was sleeping it behind a hidden wall.

She jumped at the sound of her cell phone ringing.  It echoed through the stone chamber.  “What?” she snapped at the woman she knew was on the other line.

Snow jumped at the harshness of her daughters tone.  “We found her, Emma.”

“Is she okay?”  Emma was already racing up the stairs; she slammed the door behind her before running back to her car.  “Mary Margaret is she okay?”

Snow winced at the use of her full name.  “No.  I don’t know...Meet us back at the house.” 

Emma hung up without responding.  She could hear David talking in the background, but couldn’t make out the words. Her tires spun in the dirt before finding purchase and flying her back towards the loft.

* * *

 

“David, stop!” David hit the brakes hard, the truck skidded to a screechy stop.  Snow was out the door before he could get the vehicle in park.  She ran toward the side of the road where several broken branches revealed a still form a few feet below.  “Regina!” her voiced was panicked as she skidded towards her step-mother.  “Oh my god.”  She gently rolled Regina onto her back and brushed the hair away from her face.  There was a quiet, pained moan from Regina as Snow’s fingers brushed her temple and the princess let out the breath she was holding.  “She’s alive!” she yelled to David who was making his way down to them.

Regina stiffened and inhaled sharply as David slipped his arms underneath her.  “I’m sorry,” he said close to her face.  Whether it was for the pain in her ribs or for putting her in this position, Regina’s throbbing head couldn’t decipher.  Nor did she care.  She leaned into the Prince, soaking up his warmth. She heard Snow talking somewhere ahead of them.  “We’re going to take you to the hospital,” David told her reassuringly as he gently placed her in the backseat of the truck.

“No.” Regina shook head instantly regretting it as a wave of nausea flowed through her.  “They’ll know.”

“Regina it doesn’t matter anymore, you’re hurt.”  David propped her up the best he could.

“I’ll be fine.”  It was a bullshit answer and Regina knew it.  She was freezing.  Her ribs were cracked, if not broken completely, the leather she wore spared most of her skin, but her hands were cut, her knuckles split, and her head…  Just thinking about her head made her head hurt.  Snow climbed in the seat next to her and the queen surprised herself at how quickly she leaned into the younger woman’s embrace.  “I just need to get this off.”  Her eyes were closed.  Snow could tell she had been slipping in and out of consciousness for a while.  _Emma can get it off; just get me to Emma_ , Regina was screaming inside her head.  “Mmm,” was all that Snow heard.

“What needs to come off?” Snow asked as David started the truck and headed back to the loft. In answer, Regina’s wrist flicked against Snow’s leg.  She hadn’t noticed it before.  The cuff blended in perfectly with the black leather of Regina’s jacket. “David,” she said, now terrified at what they had gotten Regina into.  “Drive faster.”  Without question, the prince hit the gas, flying over the bumps he was trying to avoid in order to spare Regina further injury.  Snow wrapped her arm around Regina to keep her as stable as possible in the bouncing truck.  The fingers of her other hand were pressed firmly against the queens pulse point, concentrating on the slow steady rhythm and assuring herself that Regina would be alright. 

* * *

 

Emma was pacing the floor of the loft.  She had broken at least 13 laws and a couple mailboxes getting here, but she hardly cared.  She was the Sheriff after all, who would arrest her?  She checked the clock for the third time in the last minute when she finally heard them coming up the stairs.  Emma flung the door opened and immediately stepped back.  Her mouth dropped open at the sight of Regina, bloodied and broken in David’s arms.  Tears sprang from her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away.  “What the hell happened!”  It wasn’t a question, but a demand for someone to be accountable. 

“We’re not sure,” Snow was so quiet, guilty.  She couldn’t bring herself to look Emma in the eye.  “Her magic’s being restrained.  We need to get the cuff off her.”

“The cuff?”  Emma was at climbing onto the bed as David lay Regina down, her eyes and fingers skimming Regina’s body.  “The cuff that Greg and Tamara used on her?!”  She didn’t need an answer and it was just as well because she received none.  Her parents lingered at the perimeter of her vision and right now that was just fine with Emma.  She didn’t have time for her anger.  Emma’s hand wrapped firmly around the deadly accessory that kept Regina’s power at bay.  She didn’t think.  That’s what Regina had taught her: magic was instinct.  So she simply let the light flow through her hands and watched as the cuff melted away.  Regina trembled under her hands.  “It’s okay,” she leaned in close, hovering her hand above the gash in Regina’s forehead.  The wound slowly vanished and Regina’s eyes shot open.  Her bloodied hand lashed out and latched around Emma’s throat.  Snow and David rushed toward their daughter, but a wave of the Queen’s free hand, stopped them in their tracks. 

Emma remained eerily calm as Regina tried to choke the life out of her.  The Savior brought her hands to Regina’s wrist, she covered the brunette’s hand, but she didn’t try to pull her away.  Seconds passed like hours as David and Snow watched in horror.  They could see Emma was straining to breathe, yet she still made no move pull Regina away.  Then time resumed just as suddenly as it stopped.  “Emma!” Regina yelled, ripping her fingers from Emma’s neck when she realized what she was doing.  The Charmings were released from her hold and stumbled forward.

“Emma are you alright?” her mother wrapped her arms around her daughter. Regina crawled up the bed trying to put some distance between herself and Emma.  Her body betrayed her, however, and she only made it a few inches before collapsing and shaking in pain.

“I’m fine.”  Emma didn’t look at her mother as she peeled her arms away, but kept her eyes locked with Regina’s.  “We’re fine,” she told her parents and her friend.  “Can you guys give us a few minutes?”  She finally met her mother’s eyes.  She was still angry, but she could deal with that later.  “Please,” this was to her father who always seemed to understand her complex relationship with Regina a little better.

“We’ll get Henry and be at Grannies.”  He pulled a reluctant Snow away and guided her out the door.

“I’m so sorry,” Regina cried softly beneath her, each shuttered breath ripped through her body in white hot pain.

“You reacted, Regina” Emma soothed her dark, matted hair.  “No one can blame you for that.”  Emma let the light flow from her hand once more, skimming the shallow cuts on Regina’s neck, lingering over her ribs.  Regina watched Emma working above her, healing her.  It was the gentlest she had ever been treated and she couldn’t help the tear that streaked down her cheek.

“Am I hurting you?” Emma asked softly.  She really had no idea what she was doing, but it seemed to be working.  Something internal told her Regina’s ribs were back in place.

“No.” Regina’s voice was markedly stronger that before and her features relaxed with the relief of the pain.  “How did you learn to do that?”

“You I suppose,” her hands covered Regina’s and she watched the tears in her knuckles heal.

“I can’t do _this_ , Emma.”  Regina couldn’t describe how she felt as the warmth of Emma’s magic pulsed through her.  It was the most relaxed she’d ever been in her life.  The safest she’d ever felt.

“What happened last night?”  Emma leaned back into the pillows, satisfied that Regina was no longer hurting.

“Initiation.”  Regina scooted herself up so that she was shoulder to shoulder with Emma.

The blonde looked her over.  She certainly looked more alive than she had an hour ago, but she was still a mess and it was unsettling.  Regina was never unkempt.  Emma took a chance and fingered a lock of Regina’s hair.  It had grown so much since they’d met, this longer, softer style seeming to suit her much better.  “Why are you doing this?”  Emma asked as she used her magic to remove the matted blood and dirt from Regina’s hair.  The queen made no reaction, excepting this last bit of kindness for what it was.

“Because I made a promise to someone I care about.”  Regina lay back into the pillows letting her eyes drift close.

“My mother.”  Emma sighed.  She knew the Cliff’s Notes of Regina’s relationship with her mother, mostly the years they spent trying to kill one another, but she often forgot that Regina had known her mother as a child and there was a whole dynamic there she wasn’t privy to. 

“She’s trying to protect you, Emma.  I took all those opportunities away from her.  It’s the very least I can do.”

“Getting yourself killed!?”

“I’m not dead.”

“Regina.”

“Emma.”  Regina sighed.  She was too tired to come out with any further argument.  “Thank you, for helping me.”

“I made you a promise.  I’ve got your back,” she picked up Regina’s hand and held it up between them.

“I guess I have to get used to people keeping their promises.” She leaned against Emma’s shoulder, finally letting sleep fully overcome her. 

Emma squeezed Regina’s hand in hers; she had one last act of magic for the evening.  White smoke swirled around them, covering the bed.  When Emma opened her eyes, a satisfied grin spread across her face.  Regina was tucked in to her own bed, clean and pajama clad.  “Yep,” Emma said quietly to herself, “getting pretty good at this magic stuff.”  She slipped out of the bedroom and went downstairs to call her parents.  If this was going to continue she would be the one calling the shots.  She had no intention of ever needing to use her magic on Regina again.

 

 


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this was meant to be a one shot, but Mary asked a question and put a bug in my ear. Thank you, dear! Rating is going up a bit, but nothing to worry about. 
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone that has read, liked, and commented. It truly makes my day.

For three nights in a row, Regina came to Emma to “clean her up.”  Each time a she was a little less drunk, a little less battered, but her spirit was a little more broken.  Emma had had enough. Last night was the last straw: Emma found her staggering dazed down the middle of the street, hands covered in blood she swore wasn’t hers.  And they’d fought.  Emma practically drug Regina upstairs and into an ice cold shower; both screaming insults neither meant.  It ended when Emma squelched a badly aimed fire ball. 

“I’m done!” she yelled at the brunette who stood frozen in place in the middle of her bedroom.  Her clothes were sopping wet.  “If you want to get yourself killed, go right ahead Regina, but DO NOT expect me OR your son to stand around and watch.”  Emma slammed the door of the bedroom leaving Regina alone and shivering.  The queen jumped when the front door was also slammed.  She heard tires screech as Emma’s car peeled away.

Regina took a breath.  She could do this alone, she’d been doing things alone her entire life.  Except the moment Emma was gone, Regina felt herself missing her.  No matter.  She could do this alone.  Regina peeled of her wet clothes as she made her way back to the bathroom, turning the water as hot as she could stand it.  She had three hours until she had to meet Maleficent and intended on spending at least two of them curled up on the shower floor.

* * *

 

“Why does everyone keep saying she’s fine?” Emma yelled to her parents who had been trying to calm her down for the last half hour.  “She is not fine, she’s been not fine for over a week and that’s not even including the beating she took.”

“Beating?”  Henry started down the stairs.  “What’s going on?”

“She’s fine, Henry.  Emma healed her,” David assured his grandson.

“Stop saying she’s fine,” Emma pushed past David and Snow and grabbed Henry’s arm.  “Upstairs, kid.”

“No!” He pulled his arm away and Emma wondered why she thought for a second that he would listen.  “Tell me what’s going on?”

“Your Mom’s been working undercover to try to figure out why Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula are up to.”  Emma ignored a glare from Snow who obviously didn’t approve her parenting at the moment.

“Why aren’t you helping her?” he asked Emma.

“I am, kid.  I always have her back.  We just…we just got in a fight tonight about her being stubborn.”

“That’s a fight you’re not going to win.”  Henry laughed, but Emma could tell her was still worried.

“She’ll be okay, Henry.  I’ll make sure of it.  That’s what I do.”  She winked at her son and sent him to the living room to be distracted by whatever he found on television, but he picked up his storybook instead.

* * *

 

They’d rescued August this morning, but there had been no sign of Regina or the rest of the villain pack since and the brave face Emma put on for Henry’s sake was quickly fading. 

It was well past midnight when she slipped into the Charming’s loft.  Emma was sitting at the counter, staring at the door.  She couldn’t hide her irritation or relief at Regina’s late arrival.  “Upstairs,” was all Emma said as she turned away and headed toward her room.  Regina stole a moment to kiss her sleeping son on the forehead.  She had seen too little of him lately, he was becoming a man so fast and she missed these quite moments.   

When she reached the bedroom, Emma was sitting cross legged in the middle of her bed, eyes closed, palms up and glowing.  “I’m actually fine, Miss Swan.  Thank you though,” Regina said as she tried not to laugh at the site of Emma looking very much like a cartoon Henry used to watch as a child.

“You’re not fine.”  Emma stayed where she was, but opened her eyes to meet Regina’s.  “Please stop pretending that you’re fine.”

Regina slipped off her coat and tossed it on a chair already littered with discarded clothing.  “You live like a teenager.”  Emma didn’t even flinch at the insult, only stared Regina down.  “Honestly,” she turned her bare arms over for Emma to see, “not a scratch.”

“What happened to August?”  Emma stopped her magic and dropped her posture, resting her elbows on her knees.

Regina sat on the edge of the bed.  “He didn’t tell you?”

“I want to hear it from you.”

“I tried.  I stopped Cruella from carving him up. I—“  Regina was off the bed and pacing the small room.  She scrubbed her face with her hands.  She was so tired: tired of this façade, tired of this fight.  “Gold had the potion in him before I even knew what was happening.  I tried.”

  
“That’s what August said.” Emma held out her hand.  It took a moment, but Regina eventually accepted it and sat back down.  Emma moved behind her and began massaging Regina’s shoulders.   The brunette flinched under her touch.  “Relax, Regina.  You’re exhausted.”  Regina’s eyes drifted close as she let herself lean back slightly into Emma’s touch.  “You smell like camp fire.”  Emma chuckled and Regina felt the blonde’s breath warm against her neck.

“Can I use your shower?”  Regina asked, almost embarrassed, but Emma was right.  She did smell like smoke.  “I want to wash the evil off.”  She looked back over her shoulder at Emma.  The two shared a moment of understanding, before Regina broke into a genuine smile.  Emma laughed in spite of herself.  She never had been able to stay mad at Regina, especially when the queen let her actual personality shine through.  Regina was so much more than evil each day that went by; it seemed she got to know herself a little better.  It was one of the many things they shared: two grown women who were still trying to figure out how to be themselves.

Emma unzipped Regina’s dress and flopped back against the pillows.  “Towels are under the sink."

* * *

 

Emma didn’t know what she expected to see when Regina finally emerged from her bathroom.  That wasn’t true.  She expected to see Regina hair dried, makeup done, and magically clad in silk pajamas that covered every inch of her.  She didn’t expect Regina to come out in nothing but a towel, hair dripping, gooseflesh peppering her skin.  “You need a bigger hot water tank.”

“I usually shower at the gym.”  Emma answered.  She scooted to the edge of the bed, inexplicably drawn to the woman before her.   Regina stood between her legs.  Emma’s hands reached up and wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer so that Regina’s knees hit the bed.  The queen’s chest rose and fell rapidly, her breasts inches from Emma’s face.  Emma stood, placing a hand on Regina’s cheek leaving the other to rest on the small of her back.  “Your hair’s curly.”  Emma breathed out as she curled a wet lock around her finger.

 Regina looked down, suddenly shy; the confidence she’d built up quickly fading.  Emma closed her eyes, they’d been dancing around these feelings for so long and she knew if she didn’t act soon she’d lose the moment for good.  She tucked the curl behind Regina’s ear, softly kissing her shoulder in the process.  Regina inhaled sharply against her but didn’t move away so Emma ventured a little further into the unknown, lips moving to the brunette’s neck, across her jaw.  She pulled Regina’s face up to meet hers, before brushing her lips with her own.  It was barely a kiss, but it released the damn Regina had been building up.

Her arms wrapped around Emma’s neck, pulling her impossible closer and she crashed their mouths together.  She needed this more than she realized.  It had been too long since she’d been kissed, held, wanted.  Emma’s hands were moving up and down her back incessantly, seeming to keep time with her tongue that was exploring Regina’s mouth.  “What are we doing?” Regina pulled away breathless.  She pulled the towel tighter around her and turned away from Emma, staring absently out the window.

“Regina, don’t do this.”  Emma came up behind and wrapped her arms tightly around Regina arms, resting her chin on the brunettes shoulder.

“I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have…I’m just…really tired.”

“Exhausted,” Emma corrected.  “And lonely.”  She kissed her neck.  “And scared.”  She kissed the spot where her jaw met her ear.  “But you should have.” She smiled when Regina did.  “Just not tonight.”  Emma spun Regina toward her, magicing her pajamas in the process.  She grabbed her hand and pulled Regina toward the bed.  “Tonight we are going to sleep.”

Regina climbed in willingly.  She should be running, poofing herself out of here and into her own bed, but Emma spooned against her back just felt so right.  “Tell me you’re really fine,” Emma said as she snuggled closer to Regina.

“I’m not,” Regina said quietly, grateful for the darkness that hid her face.  “I’m scared that I’ll become that person again; I’m scared that whatever they’re planning I won’t be able to stop; I’m scared that Henry will see me as a monster.  I…”

“Your fine,” Emma interrupted.

“What?”

“I wasn’t worried about you being scared, Regina.  I know you’re scared.  I was worried about you being in denial about it.  I was worried about you pushing everyone who loves you away.”

“Oh.” Regina was surprised at the honest omission.  She still wasn’t used to having this ‘family’ around her.

“Yeah, well, just try to be careful.”  Emma was growing more tired by the minute.

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.”  Emma pinched Regina’s arm.

“Sorry.”  Regina giggled.  Giggled.  And as tired as Emma was the foreign sound coming from the evil queen made her instantly alert.

“You’re hopeless,” Emma laughed back.

“You’re the daughter of the President of the Hope Club.  You would know,” Regina was delirious, but for the first time in quite a while, she was happy as she laughed like a tipsy teenager wrapped up in Emma’s arms until she finally calmed enough to drift towards sleep.

“Goodnight, Regina,” Emma whispered.  She fell asleep with a smile on her face, finally trusting that Regina could handle whatever she got herself into because she wouldn’t be handling it alone.


End file.
